Controlling the Conflict: Maharashtra's Bold Move on Leopard Birth Control

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved Maharashtra's plan to manage leopard populations through sterilization to tackle human-animal conflicts. The pilot project, set in Junnar's forest division, will involve immuno-contraceptive procedures on selected leopardesses, following scientific evaluations by Wildlife Institute of India researchers.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has sanctioned a pioneering initiative to control leopard populations in Maharashtra through birth control, following growing instances of leopard attacks on humans. The program aims to curb human-animal conflict by implementing a sterilization project in Pune's Junnar forest division, officials announced Monday.

A senior official from the forest department stated that the experimental sterilization-based leopard population management will initially involve five leopardesses. The program follows a submission of a two-pronged proposal last year, aiming to address both population growth and conflict reduction, with scientific backing from Wildlife Institute of India researchers.

Using immuno-contraception, the selected leopards will undergo a procedure to prevent further reproduction. This decision comes on the heels of a tragic series of leopard attacks in the region, leading to public unrest and ultimately calling for decisive measures. Recently, a leopard labeled as a 'man-eater' was neutralized by authorities after a spate of fatal attacks.

(With inputs from agencies.)